Essay on Native American Sound Instruments - 1633 Words

quot;Native American Sound Instrumentsquot; Through my own personal experiences and teachings from Native Americans, that have offered to enlighten me, Ive gathered that there is a sacred nature rich in spirit and soul to them. The Native American lives religion as a way of life. Children of the tribe grow up in this world of spirituality and learn from example that religion can come as easily as taking a breath every day. This is no attempt to lead into the topic of religion, yet it needs to be known that the Native American sound instruments are used as a part of that religion or spirituality. There are many sound instruments used by Native Americans, but they vary accordingly from tribe to tribe. The Native American sound†¦show more content†¦One reason a drum is thought of having medicine is when the drum is made from cedar. The Cedar tree has been known as a powerful healing tree and thus this medicine is passed on to the drum as a sort of healing energy. The other reason that a drum is thought to have medicine i s because of what type of skin is used. Elk, deer, buffalo, horse, and moose, just to name a few, all have some kind of significance when it comes to being used on a drum. To the First Nations, deer is considered to have a connection to the circulatory system. To be more precise, the Heart, the heart can be left unattended for long periods of time. This lack of attention can lead to high poverty in the sense that there is never enough time, never enough money, or never enough love. Native Americans believe that Deer opens the heart to allow them the teachings of trust and to allow them to empower the power of love and wisdom. They feel that drumming with Deer has the medicine to Rodriguez 3 remind them that they live in a universe filled with more than enough of every thing that is needed. Drumming with Deer helps when the feeling of being unloved engulfs someone, it in turn reminds them of the laws of circulation. In other words, when one is feeling unloved then its time to love others and all things, and soon that love will be returned tenfold. Drumming with Buffalo is used when one seeks to gain wisdom and guidance from their Ancestors by opening theShow MoreRelatedNative American Musical Instruments And Music980 Words   |  4 PagesNative American Musical Instruments are about natives getting together and playing there instruments. They play them on holidays and birthdays, also they play whenever they want entertainment. It’s a tradition for them. Their instruments are not metal like ours, so it doesn t sound like ours either. Their instruments have a whole different tune and sound. Native Americans love to play their instruments. Its one of their favorite things to do. I am writing about Native American musical instrumentsRead MoreNative American Instruments Essay879 Words   |  4 PagesNative American Musical Intruments are about natives getting together and playing there instruments. They play them on holidays and birthdays, also they play whenever they want entertainment. It’s a tradition for them. There instruments are not metal like ours so it doesn t sound like ours either. There instruments have a whole different tune and sound. Native americans love to play there instruments. Its one of their favorite things to do. I am writing about Native american musical instrumentsRead More Native American Flutes Essay1016 Words   |  5 PagesAlthough Native Americans are known for their voice being a vital instrument, most rituals, songs, and dances are accompanied by an assortment of instruments such as, drums, rattles, flutes. Every instrument has it is own meaning and a purpose. In this section, the significance of these instruments as well as their structure and functionality is explored. The drums are a vital aspect to the Native American culture; they understand the drum to be more than an instrument. In a web article writtenRead MoreMusic Of Native American Culture879 Words   |  4 Pagesof Native American Culture. It is used in many different ways, such as expressing one’s feelings or through the use of self-expression. There are unique collection of instruments that are played in ceremonial events, recreation, and even through healing. Some of these instruments are drums, flutes, rattles, and other percussion instruments. The voice is also used quite a lot and may even be the most important one because it is the backbone of music made in Native American Cultures. Native AmericanRead MoreNative American Music Essay1034 Words   |  5 PagesNative American Music In chapter ten, author Bruno Nettle takes the reader to the town of Browning, Montana, where he is about to witness a modern Native American ceremony. As he observes, he notices that only one-half of the people there are actual Native Americans. The rest are are white tourists and innocent observers just like himself. Eventually, somewhere around eighteen singing groups appear from different tribes and reservations. They will be summoning the dancers into what isRead MoreMusic and Cultural Identity 1245 Words   |  5 Pagesback to the United States to be slaves on plantations. Slaves were more prone to loose a sense of their own culture because every new aspect of their lives was forced upon them, therefore they were undoubtedly forced to abandon their native culture and accept the American ways. However, some were able to preserve their sense of culture through the use of their music while living amongst culturally diverse people. Music is a very effective way to preserve a c ulture because it embodies many aspects ofRead MoreNative Peoples: Learning About The Extensive Native American Culture691 Words   |  3 PagesNative Peoples Magazine, which was published in the year 1987, is an American Indian magazine that is distributed bi-monthly with the cost of $19.95 for 6 issues or $36.00 for 12 issues. The goal of this magazine is to reach out to people all around the world. Native Peoples Magazine portrays the arts and lifestyles, Native American artists, cooks, fashion designers, and their culture. The magazine can be used as a travel guide for many people. According to the Mailing List Finder of Native PeoplesRead MoreNative American Tradition Culture Of Native Indians1338 Words   |  6 Pagesand music, and Native American is no exception. First, the native music related many aspects such as ritual, life and work. They like to combine music with dance, and the Native American music always created rich percussion instruments. For example, the hand dru m, log drum, water drum and rattle, etc. The Powwow is an important festival and ritual for the Native American, and it is a symbol of the tradition culture of Native Indians. Powwow, is a social gathering by the Native American tribes, and theyRead MoreThe Native American Culture Of Native Americans1335 Words   |  6 Pagesand music, and Native American is no exception. First, the native music related many aspects such as ritual, life and work. They like to combine music with dance, and the Native American music always created rich percussion instruments. For example, the hand drum, log drum, water drum and rattle, etc. Powwow is an important festival and ritual for the Native American, and it is a symbol for the tradition culture of Native Indians. Powwow, is a social gathering by the Native American tribes, and theyRead MoreNative American Arts756 Words   |  3 PagesNative Americans treasure one thing in their culture the most; the arts. Native American art is the works crea ted by the natives of North America. Art can come in many forms, but are most present in the visual arts and melodic arts, which can then fall under several categories. Art is considered a symbol of Native American heritage and the overall culture of world art. It has been a major part of their lives for thousands of years. The Native American arts serve the purpose of self-expression, which

Essay on Effects of Parental Drug Abuse on Children

Heather Swenson Mandy Jesser English Composition I 1 May 2013 Effects of Parental Drug Abuse on Their Children As soon as birth, children are exposed to new things; new life experiences that will develop the path of which direction their life will take. Adolescence is the most important time in a child’s life because it is where they learn appropriate behavior from their family and the outside world. Some children are able to use these experiences to differentiate at an early age what is right and what is wrong and hopefully carry this into adulthood. What happens when children are exposed to the wrong experiences at an early age? What happens if children assume that what they are seeing is okay because one of their parents are†¦show more content†¦Parental substance abuse impacts a child’s psychological development. According to Livestrong.com â€Å"When a child is raised in an environment with substance abuse his or her risk for developing a mental health disorder increases.† (Butler). A serious element of psychological disorders that develop from a parent who abuses drug is severe anxiety disorders or depression. These afflictions in itself are enough to deter even the strongest adult from living a normal life. Depression and anxiety cause a child to withdraw from their friends or siblings, making them feel alone and suffer from suicidal thoughts. Anxiety disorders stemming from parental substance abuse also lead to learning disabilities, causing children to work below their potential. This creates a potentially negative environment for a child, causing them to behave inappropriately which leads to disciplinary actions by the school. One other psychological disorder that stems from parental substance abuse is eating disorders. This comes from the low self-esteem a child suffers and in an attempt to be perfect; a child is willing to bring physical harm to themselves or their bodies. I have seen this to be the greatest side effect of my ex-husband’s drug abuse upon our children. My two boys suffer from depression and anxiety at va rying levels. My oldest son has been diagnosed with ulcers from constantly worrying about his father’s sobriety. Perhaps the one of theShow MoreRelatedEffects Of Parental Addiction On Children1457 Words   |  6 Pages THE EFFECTS PARENTAL ADDICTIONS HAVE ON CHILDREN Alexis Holcomb The cost of alcohol and substance abuse in the United States reaches heights of four hundred eighty four billion dollars per year (â€Å"Magnitude†). That’s about seven hundred eighty times the amount it cost to diagnose and treat sexually transmitted diseases in the year 2000 (Chesson). The sole purpose of this is not to persuade you one way or the other on this topic. Nor is the purpose to apologize for this social issueRead MoreThe Disastrous Effects Of Parental Drug Addiction On Children1478 Words   |  6 PagesThe Disastrous Impact of Parental Drug Addiction on Children Drug addiction is a serious issue in not only America today, but globally. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, substance addiction is a â€Å"chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite the harmful consequences† (â€Å"What is drug addiction?†). Drug abuse affects not only the user, but those around the user as well. The actions of a drug user place a significant amount of worryRead MoreDivorce And The Divorce Rate Essay1537 Words   |  7 Pages2015). With this rising divorce rate, more children are living between parents, or in single family homes, and many of these children have been exposed to altercations between parents, as well as rough custody battles and divorce settlements. Traumatic experiences like these are highly likely to stick with children of divorce throughout their life, especially if the child is older at the time of the divorce. Compared to children of divorced families, children of non-divorced families are not exposedRead MoreMy Point Today Is Poor Parental Guidance859 Words   |  4 Pagesever witnessed children interacting, perhaps a demonstration of antisocial and rude behavior? Despite negative consequences, ones unjust behavior can cause health and safety issues. Children tend to adapt to the things that surround them a way to help guide children is love and support. According to, Jennifer Warren in the article, â€Å"writes,† on sportsmanship children learning (bad behavior skills) from adults. (However, an open door to violence, alcohol, and drug abuse, will reveal anger characteristicsRead MoreThe Effects Of Parental Substance Use Disorder On Childhood Development1565 Words   |  7 PagesImpact of Parental Substance Use Disorder on Childhood Development Kemeshia N. Maith Morgan State University The Impact of Parental Substance Abuse on Childhood Development Substance abuse disorders are significant public health concerns and rank among the most common psychiatric disorders beginning in young adulthood. Substance abuse is considered low or infrequent doses of alcohol or drugs such that damaging consequences are rare or minor (Child Welfare, 2012). Such abuse can cause socialRead MoreSubstance Use Disorders ( Suds )1720 Words   |  7 Pageshas been accomplished and has determined that children raised by substance using parents are at an increased risk for developing substance use disorders (SUDs) in adulthood as a result of familial dissemination of substance abuse through both the environments in which the children are raised and genetic susceptibility (Merikangas et al., 1998; Merikangas Avenevoli, 2000). Unfortunately, there is an insignificant amount of literature examining the effects that the combined treatment and recovery ofRead MoreThe Effects Of Prescription Drugs On The Patient s Doctor Or Parent?1558 Words   |  7 Page streat ADD began to stand out immensely. While abuse of both drugs can result in the adolescent patient to physically endure multiple unnecessary and unwanted side effects, more importantly, antibiotic overuse is the main cause of antibiotic resistance, and improper use of psychiatric medications increase the risk of addiction greatly. Through further investigation, I began to question who was truly to blame for the vast misuse of these prescription drugs: the patient’s doctor or parent? While it isRead More Teens And Smoking Essay1572 Words   |  7 Pages Teens and Smoking Abstract Cigarette smoking is of interest to the National Institute on Drug Abuse both because of the public health problems associated with this form of substance abuse and because this behavior represents a prototypic dependence process. In the past few years the government has made every effort to reach the masses, in an attempt to curb the exploitation of tobbacco use, and its acceptance among Americas Youngsters. However, cigarette smoking among adolescents is on the riseRead MoreChild Intervention Programs892 Words   |  4 PagesParental substance abuse is something that both directly and indirectly affects a child. Intervention programs have been designed to help eliminate certain risk factors that some adolescents are prone to if they live with at least one parent who has some type of substance abuse problem. Intervention programs vary in many different types and styles. Some intervention programs focus on individuals and others focus on communities or the entire family as as unit. A study done by Lewis, A. J., HolmesRead MoreThe Effects Of Substance Abuse Among Adolescents1296 Words   |  6 Pages Substance abuse has become a notable public health threat to today’s adolescents. Substance abuse is associated with an array of behavioral and psychological consequences that can jeopardize the future of the young people. Lifelong dependence is another possible consequence of drug abuse among adolescents. Ultimately, counselors are supposed to come up with effective programs to address addiction issues among the adolescents to prevent them from relying on drugs in future. Counselors rely on

Neat People vs. Sloppy People Essay Sample free essay sample

In article. â€Å"Neat People V. Sloppy People† . by Suzanne Britt. the writer argues that sloppy people are better than orderly people in many ways. She states that sloppy people are really neater than the orderly people and are more helpful. Sloppy people are intelligent. they hold to things. and are really attached to their properties. While orderly people are cruel. they don’t take sentimental ownership over their things. Neat people clean things merely to acquire rid of it. They won’t utilize their clip to believe about their hereafter either. Britt exemplifies her statement about how Sloppy people have their best grounds non to be orderly. while orderly people are still non plenty with their spruceness. I agree with the writer that sloppy people are better than orderly people because they are positive to their life. patient. and good contrivers. One of the good features about sloppy people is their positiveness towards their life. We will write a custom essay sample on Neat People vs. Sloppy People Essay Sample or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page There may be 1000000s of work undone. but they still take their life merrily because they have a batch of hopes with them. They look at the positive side of their lives. They are ever smiling even if they have to finish their piled up work on clip. Unlike orderly people. sloppy people do non acquire upset on little things. Sloppy people have a wide facet of life therefore. small jobs do non do them upset. They ever look for the best things to come. instead looking to the negative side. Sloppy people have a better gratitude to life than orderly people. For case. a orderly individual will acquire huffy if he finds more than one work pending. but a sloppy individual would ever bask his/her clip no affair how much of work he is given. Thus positiveness towards their life is one of the good qualities of sloppy people. Other than their positiveness towards their life. sloppy people have another good thing which is their forbearance. They have a really good quality with them ; they can wai t. They can wait their whole life to make something and neer be tired. Some sloppy people want to make a backyard. clean their garage. throw away their expired medicines. and clean the rug and many more. They wait for five summers merely to clean the shoe rack. They have the maximal forbearance than anybody else. It does non count to them how long they have to wait. but they can maintain on waiting for every bit long as they want. They have a really good forbearance degree. Most of the orderly people want to make their things rapidly. and does non care about the consequence but sloppy people take their times to make their programs. take more clip to implement it and desire a perfect consequence. Sloppy people can wait ; they pay attending to every item. and seek to do it work as they want. Therefore. forbearance is one of the other good qualities about sloppy people. In add-on. sloppy people are good contrivers. Their planning continues till old ages. The programs they make at their nuptials goes on boulder clay they have their fifth birthday of their 2nd kid. They plan for their holiday good. but sometimes the program remains but the day of the months keep on traveling farther and further. However. they do non halt planning. They have perfect programs for different occasions. Although they merely wait for the right clip for their programs. the planning gets better every clip they change it. sloppy people are still happy with their planning to come true one twenty-four hours. For illustration. one lady who wants to travel to France for her honeymoon has been waiting for 5 old ages. She is still be aftering on the hotel location. topographic points to see. shopping lists. and the perfect clip. She has non lost her hope. she knows she is traveling to do it one twenty-four hours. Therefore. sloppy people have be aftering on their caput yet to be imp lied on their life.

Marketing Plan Project Journal of Marketing Theory

Question: Describe about the Marketing Plan Project for Journal of Marketing Theory? Answer: Mission and Objectives of the Organisation In order to produce a new product in the market place an organisation is in need of strategizing the new policies and identifying the issues. In order to place the product, proper marketing manifestation is essential which helps in developing the marketing prospect. Here, in this assignment the researcher is going to strategize the marketing policies while launching a new product Red Energy. Purpose of Market Plan: In order to market the product properly and to analyze the necessities of the customers of the market is needed to be the main motive for an organisation to develop a strategic market planning. Red Bull is going to market Red Energy targeting the youths of America who prefers mostly in body building and athletes. At the same time, the product is also an energy drink which helps the common people to be relieved from their tiredness. The drink as supposed by the organisation helps the common people maintaining its fitness and health. It can better be stated as an energy drink (Desai et al. 2012). As there are only a few organisations available in USA supplying energy drink in the market, proper promotion of the product both in the social and digital media seem to be literally necessary. The marketing plan strategizes to be important in this aspect. Among the existing users of Red Bull craze of having strong energy drink is on a high note which can be expected to grow extensively once the Red Energy is marketed. Mission Statement: By marketing of Red Energy, the organisation intends to increase its sales among the customers aged between 18 to 35. At the same time, the company wants to revise its revenue growth as well which helps in determining more profit. Nowadays, as soft drink and energy drinks have become one of the alternatives of tea or coffee, Red Bull expects that by marketing of Red Energy the organisation will attain the market penetration. At the same time, achieving the marketing goals is another significant issue that the organisation wants to achieve (Dyer and Chu,2011). Competitive Advantages: In Red Energy, the organisation has decided, to attain advantages of the competitive market place, reduce the general quantity of calories (110 grams) and increase the normal quantity of caffeine from 80mg to 86mg. With hike in the quantity of caffeine reaction speed will also increase and let the concentration of the common people leads to be increased. With more caffeine burning of fat will also be engaged which enables the person to get relieved from the extensive fatigue that may conquer upon it. These features are quite intuitive which helps Red Bull to claim market success for Red Energy. A report of Eastman and Liu (2012) states that Red Bull in 2014 had attained $2883 million where Monster could only attain $2476 and Rockstar $647 million. The report also states that Red Bull is having 43% USA market acquisition where 39% is for Monster and 10% share for Rockstar. This approach is literally effective for the organisational development and marketing growth. As Red Bull is already in a height of growth in USA market, it is expected that it will also prove to be helpful for acquiring the market for Red Energy as well. As no of the organisations has marketed any energy drink aiming at slashing off the fatigue of the common people, it helps in organisational development (Eastman et al. 2010). Situation Analysis Strengths v Red Bull has decided that Red Energy will be launched in three flavors which will enable the customers to choose among them. Taste of these three flavors is also going to be different that is another significant attraction. v Brand equity of Red Bull is literally sophisticated which helps in developing the strengths of the organisation (Eng and Bogaert, 2010). At the same time, creative approach of Red Energy is another essential issue that helps in attaining potentiality for the product. v Although it is said that Red Energy is going to increase the caffeine quantity, however, it is laboratory tasted and proved that there is no harm and side effects. v It may conquer the market in alternative of soft drinks. Weaknesses v Stereotype confusion of the market place in the past few years with economic slowdown has resulted US economy not to be stable. This may result the market of Red Energy not to be properly attained. v For Red Energy, the limited age group has been covered from 18 to 35, resulting in a serious loosening of a huge number of customers. v As Red Energy is a complete new innovation, never have tasted in the market ever, a threat of getting rejected by the customers of the market is always there. v Competition is also a significant issue that has become a real threat for the USA soft drink market. Opportunities v As people are getting more conscious about their health these days, Red Energy may seem to be the only option open to them that easily decreases the total fat level. Having been manufactured with protein and fiber it helps to attract more people of the market. v Red Bull has decided to keep the price of the product low which helps in attaining better market advantages. v No potential competitor of the market place may help in developing the problem for the product. Threats v Threats from the other organisations and competitors are a significant threat that may create hindrances in its way. v More innovation is a real risk which may create problems after the product is launched. v Supply of the raw materials is another significant problem that may affect the organisational problems. Table 1: SWOT Analysis Identifying the opportunities of this energy drink by using STP analysis: STP refers to the segmentation, targeting and positionining of the new product. Here, the marketer needs to analyze the market opportunities of the product within the industry of energy drink. STP analysis can be very helpful for identifying the potential group of the customers within the particular market of the industry (Wood et al. 2013). Segmentation: This process of segmentation is included within demographic, psychographic as well as geographic and socio economic sector of the market. For the product Red Energies the segmentation can be of following types; Demographic segmentation: The market can be divided within the groups of age, income, gender and occupation of the people within the society. Here, for this energy drink, the age of the customer can be considered as between 16 to 35. Generally, male is the targeted customer of this energy drink. Income group of the customer group can remain in medium or high income. The tendency is towards high income people among the group of the customers who belong from student, service as well as business occupation within the society (Barnes et al. 2010). Psychographic segmentation: Customers who lead high lifestyle, ambitious for any type of situation can be considered as the targeted customers of Red Energies. Geographic: People from city and city-based areas have been considered as the potential as well as loyal customers of this energy drink. The marketers of this energy drink can also consider the people who come from semi urban area of United States. Socio economic segmentation: The marketers of Red Energies can attract the people who belongs to high profile job among cities of United States. The purchasing power of the people should remain within high and medium high limit. Targeting: In the demographic segment, this energy drink mainly can target the teenagers as well as young generation of the market. This energy drink also targets young adults of 22 to 36 years of the market. In the psychological segment, the company can attract the students, working professionals of enthusiastic people who are loyal as well as medium loyal to the company through this newly launched product. In the geographic segmentation, this energy drink can attract the city-based people who belong to a high and medium socio economic zone of the society (Cai et al. 2013). Positioning: However, the price will be medium high for selling the new energy drink to the customers. In the positioning purpose of this energy drink, extensive levels of media campaign is very essential as well as necessary for the effective positioning of Red Energy. As this product targets young generation of the society, digital marketing technique will be considered as one of the important positioning strategies of this energy drink. The marker can promote this energy drink through extensive social media marketing using popular tools like face book, twitter, instagram and blogging. Apart from this, the company can use outdoor media like hoarding, digital sign within the places of movie hall, office premises and college area of various cities of United States (Choi et al. 2012). Implementation of the Marketing Mix Attributes Description Product As it has so far discussed that Red Energy is a sophisticated and prestigious product which helps in attaining the US market as a whole. In comparison with the other products available in the market place, Red Energy is a significant one that targets the common athletes and body builders generally. As it cuts the calories short and helps common people feel energetic by removing their fatigue, it is expected that more people will be fascinated by this product. Price Red Bull to attain the market advantages has decided to keep the price of Red Energy low that any other available energy products in the market place. Having a low piece, it is expected that more people will get fascinated by the product. The price of the product is also a significant issue that helps in attaining better cohesion in the market place (Fang et al. 2012). Place In order to market the products, place also appears to be an intrinsic issue for the development of the market place. Place is also a significant approach that determines to be developed intrinsically. Place is also a significant issue for the marketing development. Place also helps in managing the organisational statistics in the market place. Places to promote Red Energy are also an essential from of development. Places for development of this approach are helping in strategizing the significant issues. Place determines to be significant approach which constitutes in the strategical development of Red Energy. Promotion Red Bull has decided to promote the products through social and digital media. Facebook, You Tube and other social media has been decided to be used for the promotional approaches. At the same time, it is also decided that the organisation will also promote Red Energy through newspapers, magazines and other advertisement areas as well which helps to reach to the maximum number of people in the market place (Gallagher et al. 2010). Promotion through the own website of Red Bull is also getting in order. Promotion helps in developing in maintaining better cohesion in the market place. Promotion also appears to be quite intrinsic issue which attempts to be the unique approach in the organisational development. Satisfaction of goals and objectives of Red Energies: Red Energies is a newly launched company in the market of United States. The company has made the next five years marketing plan of Red Energies. To find out the satisfaction level of the company, the following points are discussed to measure the performance of the product in the market and the demand of the market in the United States market (Gauzente and Roy, 2012). a) Key Performance: If the management of the company tries to measure the goals and objectives, then the management of the company should measure the performance of the company in the market. The management of Red Energies should measure the cost of the product and the sales volume of the product. This will help the management of the company to find out the profit percentage of the company. If the company earns more profit margins by selling the product, this shows that the demand of the product is high in the market (Goldsmith et al. 2010). b) Customers Feedback: The management of the company should take feedbacks from their customers to know about the quality of their product. If the customers are satisfied with the quality of the product, then the demand of the product will be high in the market. c) Employees Feedback: The management should take a feedback from their employees to understand the demand of the product by their customers in the market. If the customers are satisfied with the quality of the product, then the demand of the product will be high in the market. Determination of Success or Failure: Depending on the demand of the product in the market, the management of the company will understand the success of the product in the market or failure of the product in the market. If the product margins of the company gradually increase, it means that the demand of the product is high in the market. If the profit margins gradually decrease in the market, it seems to be that the demand of the product is low in the market. Performance: Key People Responsibilities Finance Manager The Finance Manager of Red Energies took the responsibilities of calculating the financial conditions of the company. Operation Manager The operation manager of the Red Energies took the responsibilities to improve the operational performance of the company. Promotion Manager The main role of the promotion manager of the Red Energies is to promote their product in the market. Market Analyst The main role of the market analyst is to analyze the demand of the product in market. Sales Manager The main role of the sales manager of the Red Energies is to improve the sales volume of their product in the market. Financial Performance Metrics: Sales versus profit: The sales are calculated for the company for the next five years. The selling price of the product is in linear progress. The initial year sales of the company are USD 100,000. The price is increased by 3 % in every year. In addition, the cost of the product includes operating cost, production cost and administrative cost of the company (Gurau,2012). The cost of their product varies in every year due to change in inflation rate. If the inflation rate varies in every year then the cost price of their product varies. This will lead to change in the profit margins of the company (Hu et al. 2009). Market Growth: The management should take a feedback from their employees to understand the demand of the product by their customers in the market. If the customers are satisfied with the quality of the product, then the demand of the product will be high in the market. The management of the company should take feedbacks from their customers to know about the quality of their product. If the customers are satisfied with the quality of the product, then the demand of the product will be high in the market (Ha et al. 2011). Customer Relationships: The management should take a feedback from their employees to understand the demand of the product by their customers in the market. If the customers are satisfied with the quality of the product, then the demand of the product will be high in the market (Hartmann et al. 2009). Social Responsibility: If the management of the company tries to measure the goals and objectives, then the management of the company should measure the performance of the company in the market. The management of Red Energies should measure the cost of the product and the sales volume of the product. This will help the management of the company to find out the profit percentage of the company. If the company earns more profit margins by selling the product, this shows that the demand of the product is high in the market (Hewlett et al. 2009). Reference list: Barnes, D. C., Beauchamp, M. B., and Webster, C. (2010), To delight, or not to delight? This is the question service firms must address, Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 18(3), 275-283 Bradley, G. L., and Sparks, B. A. (2012), Explanations: if, when, and how they aid service recovery, Journal of Services Marketing, 26(1), 41-51. Cai, S., Gohn M., de Souza, R. and Li, G. (2013). Knowledge sharing in collaborative supply chains; twin effects of trust and power. International Journal of Production Research, 51(7), 2060-2076 Choi, Y.H., Souiden, N. and Skandrani, H. (2012). The differential impact of trust types on inter-firm relationships: some empirical evidence from the Japanese eyeglass industry. Asian Business and Management, 11(5), 541-562 Desai, P.S., Bell. D., Lilien. G., and Soberman, D. 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Merchant of Venice free essay sample

Shakespeare in the High School Classroom The Merchant of Venice, by William Shakespeare, does not fit the conventional definitions of a tragedy or a comedy. It is categorized as a comedy, although one of the two distinct plotlines is a tragedy. This play is multi-faceted and is really a combination of two plays in one; therefore it lends itself well as a source for teaching different lessons in the high school classroom. This curriculum unit can be used in conjunction with social studies, math and the arts, so it is not restricted to drama or literature in the English classroom. This unit is important because Shakespeare is an integral part of the English curriculum. Shakespeare’s tragedies are the major focus, so it would add an extra dimension if students were exposed to the comedies. The Merchant of Venice is particularly a good choice because it bridges the gap between comedy and tragedy. We will write a custom essay sample on Merchant of Venice or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Shakespeare blends serious issues and values with light comedic elements in this rather complex play. The two main plots are the comedy about Portia and her marriage to Bassanio and the tragedy about Antonio, the merchant and Shylock, the Jew. BACKGROUND A brief synopsis of the play will help to clarify the ensuing details for those who are unfamiliar with The Merchant of Venice. The comedy revolves around one of Shakespeare’s strongest female characters, Portia. This plot deals with the choice of a husband for Portia. The setting is Venice and Belmont, Italy at the height of the merchant trade during the Middle Ages. Antonio is the protagonist and the merchant of Venice from whence the title is derived. He is admired for his good deeds and honor. He is melancholy because he fears the impending marriage of his best friend, Bassanio, will take up much of his friend’s time. Bassanio has the highest rank of anyone in the play with the exception of the Duke. He is a suitor for Portia’s hand in marriage and he needs to borrow money (3,000 ducats) from Antonio in order to pursue his goal. Portia is a wealthy noblewoman who has agreed to abide by the wishes of her deceased father and allow an elaborate game that he set up to find the perfect husband for his daughter. A very humorous scene ensues in which Portia and her maidservant and friend, Nerissa discuss the suitors who have attempted and failed to win Portia’s hand. Shakespeare adds foreshadowing by having Portia recall meeting Bassanio and wishing that someone like him would win the contest. The game, or contest, that Portia’s father has formulated involves three caskets (treasure chests). One is gold, one is silver, and one is lead. The 62 suitor who gets to choose does not know the choice of previous contestants. Each casket comes with a riddle that must be solved before it can be opened. Inside, if the counterfeit (picture) of Portia is enclosed, then that man will become her husband. The first man to try in Act 2 is Morocco who chooses gold and loses. Then Aragon, the Spaniard, tries after professing that if he loses then he will never marry. He chooses the silver and loses. To Portia’s surprise and delight, Bassanio is next. He chooses the lead casket and wins Portia’s hand in marriage. Since this is a comedy, the main characters live happily ever after. Bassanio’s manservant, Gratiano becomes enamored with Nerissa and the feelings are mutual, so both couples marry. Merchant of venice free essay sample The Merchant of Venice is a play by William Shakespeare†¦The title character is the merchant Antonio, not the Jewish moneylender Shylock, who is the plays most prominent and most famous character. Antonio has already made an enemy of Shylock through his outspoken antisemitism, and also because Antonios habit of lending money without interest forces Shylock to charge lower rates. Shylock is at first reluctant to grant the loan, citing abuse he has suffered at Antonios hand, but finally agrees to lend the sum to Antonio without interest upon one condition: if Antonio is unable to repay it at the specified date, Shylock may take a pound of Antonios flesh. Bassanio does not want Antonio to accept such a risky condition; Antonio is surprised by what he sees as the moneylenders generosity (no usance – interest – is asked for), and he signs the contract. With money at hand, Bassanio leaves for Belmont with his friend Gratiano, who has asked to accompany him. We will write a custom essay sample on Merchant of venice or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Gratiano is a likeable young man, but is often flippant, overly talkative, and tactless. Bassanio warns his companion to exercise self-control, and the two leave for Belmont and Portia. Shylock A Jewish moneylender in Venice. Angered by his mistreatment at the hands of Venice’s Christians, particularly Antonio, Shylock schemes to eke out his revenge by ruthlessly demanding as payment a pound of Antonio’s flesh. Although seen by the rest of the play’s characters as an inhuman monster, Shylock at times diverges from stereotype and reveals himself to be quite human. These contradictions, and his eloquent expressions of hatred, have earned Shylock a place as one of Shakespeare’s most memorable characters. Although critics tend to agree that Shylock is The Merchant of Venice’s most noteworthy figure, no consensus has been reached on whether to read him as a bloodthirsty bogeyman, a clownish Jewish stereotype, or a tragic figure whose sense of decency has been fractured by the persecution he endures. Certainly, Shylock is the play’s antagonist, and he is menacing enough to seriously imperil the happiness of Venice’s businessmen and young lovers alike. Shylock is also, however, a creation of circumstance; even in his single-minded pursuit of a pound of flesh, his frequent mentions of the cruelty he has endured at Christian hands make it hard for us to label him a natural born monster. In one of Shakespeare’s most famous monologues, for example, Shylock argues that Jews are humans and calls his quest for vengeance the product of lessons taught to him by the cruelty of Venetian citizens. On the other hand, Shylock’s coldly calculated attempt to revenge the wrongs done to him by murdering his persecutor, Antonio, prevents us from viewing him in a primarily positive light. Shakespeare gives us unmistakably human moments, but he often steers us against Shylock as well, painting him as a miserly, cruel, and prosaic figure. Shylock is a focal point of the play. A traditional stereotype of the Jew in Elizabethan times, he is comically caricatured as a greedy miser. He wears a traditional Jewish gabardine. He is a middle- aged man between fifty and fifty-five, who has a keenness of observation, a memory for details, and a strong amount of energy. He is well versed in the Bible and is able to draw analogies from various Biblical sources and stories, which are relevant to the situations in which he finds himself. His manner of speaking reveals an authoritative tone with frequent references to the great and ancient names from Scriptures, which he uses to justify his own practices. His speech reveals a cold and calculating mind, reflective of his narrow thinking. He is also literal-minded and pragmatic and has quick and agile thought processes, which help him in his business dealings. Shylock suffers from religious persecution, which plays an important part in the play. Antonio has reviled and despised this Jew, even humiliating him publicly because of his money lending and usury. Shylock believes that his profiteering is not a sin. This is contrary to the Christian belief, held by Antonio, that money should be lent for charity and not for profit. By his profession and his religion, Shylock is marked as the alien in a happy and fun- loving Venetian society. His alienation causes his bitterness and his humiliation makes him seek revenge. Antonio becomes the target of that revenge, and Shylock uses the letter of the law to try and exact a pound of flesh from his enemy. His strict interpretation of the law backfires on him, and he winds up losing his wealth and barely saving his life. Although he appears in only five scenes, Shylock is a very powerful personality, whose love of money has destroyed any natural human feelings Antonio Although the play’s title refers to him, Antonio is a rather lackluster character. He emerges in Act I, scene i as a hopeless depressive, someone who cannot name the source of his melancholy and who, throughout the course of the play, devolves into a self-pitying lump, unable to muster the energy required to defend himself against execution. Antonio never names the cause of his melancholy, but the evidence seems to point to his being in love, despite his denial of this idea in Act I, scene i. The most likely object of his affection is Bassanio, who takes full advantage of the merchant’s boundless feelings for him. Antonio has risked the entirety of his fortune on overseas trading ventures, yet he agrees to guarantee the potentially lethal loan Bassanio secures from Shylock. In the context of his unrequited and presumably unconsummated relationship with Bassanio, Antonio’s willingness to offer up a pound of his own flesh seems particularly important, signifying a union that grotesquely alludes to the rites of marriage, where two partners become â€Å"one flesh. † Further evidence of the nature of Antonio’s feelings for Bassanio appears later in the play, when Antonio’s proclamations resonate with the hyperbole and self-satisfaction of a doomed lover’s declaration: â€Å"Pray God Bassanio come / To see me pay his debt, and then I care not† (III. iii. 35–36). Antonio ends the play as happily as he can, restored to wealth even if not delivered into love. Without a mate, he is indeed the â€Å"tainted wether†Ã¢â‚¬â€or castrated ram—of the flock, and he will likely return to his favorite pastime of moping about the streets of Venice (IV. i. 113). After all, he has effectively disabled himself from pursuing his other hobby—abusing Shylock—by insisting that the Jew convert to Christianity. Although a sixteenth-century audience might have seen this demand as merciful, as Shylock is saving himself from eternal damnation by converting, we are less likely to be convinced. Not only does Antonio’s reputation as an anti-Semite precede him, but the only instance in the play when he breaks out of his doldrums is his â€Å"storm† against Shylock (I. iii. 132). In this context, Antonio proves that the dominant threads of his character are melancholy and cruelty. Antonio is the merchant of Venice, the titular protagonist of the play. He is about forty years of age and has lived his life to the fullest. He is a successful businessman, owning a fleet of trade ships. Surprisingly, Antonio appears in relatively few scenes of the play, but he is the driving force behind much of the action. Antonio is the model Christian, as defined by Elizabethan society. He represents, among other things, the ideal of nobility in friendship. He is also kind and generous, both to his friends and to the poor of Venice. Although he is now more philosophical, gentle, and quiet, he can still appreciate the frivolous nature of youth, as portrayed by his beloved friend, Bassanio. Aside from his love for Bassanio, he is unattached. Perhaps his lack of love is the reason for his melancholy. Antonios principles are against the borrowing or lending of money for profit. He reflects the medieval attitude that money should be lent for Christian charity. His noble generosity for his friend, however, leads him to cast aside these principles and to take a loan from the merchant, Shylock. He borrows money and pledges his flesh as the bond. When his ships are lost at sea, he cannot repay the loan and accepts the fact that he must pay Shylock with a pound of his flesh. Antonios warmth and generosity, however, save him. Portia, who has marrried Bassanio, comes to Antonios aid. Even though she has never met Antonio, she loves him for his generosity to her husband. She appears in court as a young, intelligent lawyer and turns the law against Shylock, saving Bassanios dear friend in the process. Antonio, with characteristic generosity and mercy, spares the life of Shylock and gives the Jews wealth to Lorenzo and Jessica, the rightful heirs. Antonios good fortune continues when he learns that his ships are not lost at sea, but have returned laden with goods. As the symbol of Christian warmth, kindness, generosity, and love, Antonio truly receives his just reward during the play when all turns out well for him. Why Shylock wants revenge upon Antonio is because Antonio has repeatedly spit upon him and called him a dog. And now Antonio and Bassanio come asking him for money. The revenge itself is described in the penalty of not repaying the loan to Shylock, where if Antonio fails to repay the loan within the specified time, Shylock will have the right to cut a pound of flesh from any part of Antonios body. Shylock is ridiculed and mistreated because he is Jewish and a moneylender. Money lending and being Jewish were both frowned upon during the time that this play takes place. When talking to Antonio, Shylock recalls all of the slanders and cruel things that Antonio has done to him. â€Å"You call me misbeliever, cutthroat dog, /And spet . . . Shylock receives no mercy from Antonio and is forced to give up everything, accept what he detests, and give up his religion. Shylock adamantly describes the ways in which Antonio finds any means possible to mock and hurt Shylock. Shylock is the victim of an unjust trial. Shylock is also victimized by his own daughter Jessica. Shylock refuses to accept anything but Antonio’s flesh because he wants to humor himself: â€Å"You’ll ask me why I rather choose to have/ A weight of carrion flesh than to receive/ Three thousand ducats. After Shylock finds that Antonio’s ships have not returned, he is happy and wants revenge on Antonio. Shylock’s mean demeanor and unreasonableness shows. When in trial to retrieve his bond from Antonio, Shylock is also unfairly treated by the law. Although Shylock has some villainous qualities, he is mainly portrayed as a victim because of the disrespect and the undeserved, malicious conduct shown towards him The main reason was the loss Antonio was causing to him by lending money without interest which hurt the money lending business of Shylock. Shylock being a Jew was always looked down upon by othersand Antonio . In short Shylock was not respected by Antonio. Shylock is a Jew and as such has always been forced to live on the fringes of society. In effect he has an understandable chip on his shoulder. He is not looking for revenge he is just trying to outsmart him. Because the process of getting it will have the effect of killing Antonio, which Shylock wants to gain revenge for the mistreatment he has suffered from Antonio and all the other anti-SemiticVenetians. The flesh itself is of no use to Shylockwhen he is asked what good it would be, Shylock replies tersely To bait fish withal†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. To bait fish withal. Shylock is not interested in Antonios flesh; he is interested in killing Antonio. The flesh itself is worthless FROM NEW SITE 0 Antonio, the Christian and Shylock, the Jew, were the two main characters in The Merchant of Venice. They had different beliefs and personalities which caused them to get what they deserved. Antonio was a loveable and generous merchant who cared a lot for his friends, and helped them when they were in trouble. He was a devoted Christian who followed the commandments from the Bible. In contrast, Shylock, the Jew, was a self-centered, greedy man who craved for money and did not have a lot of friends to accompany him. He was not concerned when his daughter betrayed him but only wanted to take back what he owned. Although the two characters were both merchants from Venice, they had very different views, values and qualities. First of all, the biggest difference between the two characters was the ways they treated other people. When Antonio’s friend, Bassanio, needed three thousand ducats to meet up with a suitor, Porsia, and he did not hesitate and lent him the money immediately. He, himself had to borrow the money from Shylock by means of slaying a pound of flesh off Antonio’s body if he couldn’t return the rent. Antonio would risk his life on the chopping block for his friend without even knowing whether he could get the money back from Bassanio to return his debt or not. Shylock, on the other hand, was not merciful at all. All he cared about was his possessions and money. Although the play had never mentioned anything about Shylock having to risk his life to save his friends, it was obvious from his actions and personality that he would never be willing to do it and to sacrifice himself for his friends. Also, when Shylock’s daughter decided to run off with Lorenzo, the man she was in love with, Shylock was furious, not because his daughter choose to betray him, but because he would lose the possession of a daughter. Secondly, having different beliefs was another major factor that shaped the actions of their behavior. In the time of Shakespeare, it was the norm to think Jews were immoral. Everyone, in every aspect, took Jews as an insult and made fun of them all the time. Shakespeare created the character of Shylock as a Jew as a negative connotation. On the contrary, Antonio was a dedicated believer of Christ. In John 15:12-13 from the Bible, it says â€Å"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. † Antonio did exactly what was written in the Bible, because he put his life in jeopardy in order to fulfill his friend’s dreams. Shylock did not get what he expected to have; instead he had to beg for mercy in order to stay alive. Finally, destiny also played a huge part in these two character’s lives. Antonio lived a tragic life right from the very beginning of the play. His ships were wrecked and his friend was depressed for he did not have the money to meet his suitor. Then he borrowed the money and couldn’t pay the debt. His flesh was so close to being cut off but his fate took his side and everything changed from then. Shylock, the rich merchant, who had power to kill Antonio for not paying him back, had to beg on his knees for mercy and not to kill him. All his money, possessions, family and even his belief were no longer his and was shattered into pieces. The two merchants in the Merchant and Venice, Antonio and Shylock were unlike in many ways. Their personalities were no doubt the biggest difference between them. Antonio was a loving and caring friend while Shylock was a selfish, lonely and despicable man. Antonio believed and obeyed the Bible whereas Shylock was teased and insulted because of his belief. Fate was what brought change to the surprising outcomes to the character’s lives. What goes around comes around. Karma was served! These were some of the similarities and differences between the two alike yet very dissimilar characters in The Merchant of Venice. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Since antiquity, Christians and Jews were seen as the antitheses of each other. The differences between the two religions were extensive and the people of the time were keen to exploit them. However, beneath the varying practices, Christians and Jews had many subtle similarities. This concept is portrayed in Shakespeare’s play â€Å"The Merchant of Venice† where the conflict between the characters Antonio, a Christian and Shylock, a Jew reveals a likeness never seen before in a play of that time. Shakespeare first introduces Antonio with the line â€Å"In sooth I know not why I am so sad. † (Act 1, Scene 1). Antonio’s melancholy is profound as his most beloved friend, a younger man named Bassanio, is preparing to leave him. The love Antonio holds for Bassanio is so deep such that he provides Bassanio, then in debt and in need of three thousand ducats, with all the credit he can offer to set him on his way without any hesitation. He goes so far to even sign a contract that could lead to the potential loss of his flesh order to help his friend. The love Antonio felt for Bassanio was so intense that not even the possibility of mutilation and death could stop him. As a result of such a generous and selfless nature, Antonio is well respected in the community at the time and loved by all his friends. But his life is far from perfect. His first line which begins the play is a line that evidently reveals the pain he suffers in his loneliness. Antonio’s generous and selfless nature is a sharp contrast to the vindictive and greedy mindset of the play’s antagonist, Shylock. His attitude towards people is so detestable that even his own daughter eventually leaves him. Whether Shylock is the villain or victim can be shown in both ways; the humiliation he suffers at the hands of Christians who mock his Jewish ancestry makes him the victim of the Christians’ ridicules. Shylock suffers the brute of this abuse through Antonio, who, despite his generosity and selflessness is capable of †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. ****************************************** The contrasts between Shylock and Antonio arent nearly as interesting as the similarities. Both of them are bound to their beliefs, both love someone who ultimately abandons them for someone else, and both are miserable. Shylock derives his joy entirely from his money and his daughter- while Antonio has nothing in the world to live for but Bassaino. Antonio is willing to die, as long as Bassanio is present, because he has nothing else to live for. Shylock- when confronted with the possiblity of losing all of his money begs the court to take his life if they are taking all of his money. Ironically they both end the play in a worse positon than they began it. Shylock with half of his money, loss of religion, and bound to a renegade daughter. Antonio alone in Venice with his money, which doesnt seem to mean much to him, while the only person he ever cared about has been lost to a young lady who has used a ring to mark her territory very well (with Antonio as his surety). The only thing that either of them has left to sustain them is their hatred of each other. It isnt even clear whether Shylock will be able to continue as a userer, now that he is Christian.

Enter the New Era of Education - Learning Revolution

Enter the New Era of Education - Learning Revolution The Start of the Learning Revolution A lot of countries have already accepted the fact that old formal education system, which we have been using since 1900s, has become completely obsolete in the beginning of the 21st century. As it was based on the needs of industrial era, where people were prepared to perform a certain set of functions for the invariant set of professions, now, when the rules have changed and new professions appear faster than educational system can react, that system has quickly become outdated. The new harbingers of the educational revolution that we are expecting are mobile learning, problem-based learning and open online courses. These three approaches along with other new concepts are what is supposed to change the educational system as we know it. Unfortunately, the embodiment of learning revolution is far from being realized. Both small and big educational platforms often do not give free courses. Software developers are trying hard to make ministries and government officials understand that they should give a try to the newest educational technologies and the latter dont always like this idea because it can take up to year to prepare a test run for a university or school. Thats definitely not what a revolutionary pace assumes. Indeed, if we look at official reforms, theres nothing groundbreaking that we can find there. However, if we consider the individual level, we will clearly see that it is at this level where the revolution will take place, because government cannot influence peoples demand for the new type of education. So, while politicians and officials make test runs or make assumptions about the efficiency of this or that educational tool or program, people have already started the revolution. This revolution is heralded by many innovative start-ups and people who are eager to engage in their initiatives. These start-ups are becoming more and more successful because they dont plan to change the existing educational system, theyre slowly creating a new one. While, unfortunately, the goal of many students in the formal educational system is to pass the final exams and get a degree, instead of developing certain qualities and professional competencies, the new educational start-ups are aiming to provide people with whats valued most about education actual skills and competencies. Self-learning trend is showing especially good result in language learning. Babbel, Busuu, Duolingo and other platforms have already gathered more than 140 million users who are eager to challenge conventional educational methods. And its impossible to imagine this revolution happening without the advent and development of technological marvels, which have already become indispensable parts of our l ife. Smartphones, tablets, Wikipedia, e-mails, webcams are some of the tools that made this revolution possible. Modern language learning platforms include virtual classrooms, interactive online platforms as well as crowd-sourced translation communities. Moreover, the demand for mobile learning tools is growing every year. However, foreign languages is not the only learning revolution trend. Musical, programming and brain training courses emerge every week. New solutions allow people to learn literally everywhere. Although the pace of learning revolution is relatively slow, the fire that can be seen in the eyes if its heralds makes us understand that transformation of the formal educational system is just a matter of time.

Top 10 Events in Race Relations This Decade (2000-2009)

Top 10 Events in Race Relations This Decade (2000-2009) The first decade of the new millennium saw extraordinary strides in race relations. New ground was broken in film, television and politics, to name a few. Just because accomplishments have been made in race relations doesnt mean theres no room for improvement, though. Tensions continue to run high over issues such as illegal immigration and racial profiling. And a natural disasterHurricane Katrinarevealed that racial divisions remain strong in the United States. So, whats in store for race relations between 2010 and 2020? Judging from the events on the race relations timeline of this decade, the skys the limit. After all, who in 1999 couldve guessed that the new decade would see Americas first black president ushering in, what some have called, post-racial America? Dora the Explorer (2000) Which cartoon characters did you grew up watching? Were they part of the Peanuts gang, the Looney Tunes crew or the Hanna-Barbera family? If so, perhaps Pepe Le Pew was the only animated character you came across who spoke two languagesin Pepes case, French and English. But Pepe never became as famous as his Looney Tunes companions Bugs Bunny and Tweety Bird. On the other hand, when Dora the Explorer arrived on the scene in 2000, the series about an adventurous bilingual Latina and her animal friends proved so popular it has grossed billions of dollars. The popularity of the show proves that girls and boys of all ethnic groups will readily embrace Latino characters. It has already paved the way for another animated show with a Latino protagonistGo Diego Gowhich features Doras cousin. Dont expect Dora to be upstaged by Diego, or any other animated character, for that matter. As her audience evolves, so does she. Doras look was updated in early 2009. Shes grown from tot to tween, wears fashionable clothes and includes mystery-solving among her adventures. Count on Dora to be around for the long haul. Colin Powell Becomes Secretary of State (2001) George W. Bush appointed Colin Powell Secretary of State in 2001. Powell was the first African American to serve in the role. A moderate in a conservative administration, Powell often clashed with other members of the Bush administration. He announced his resignation from the position on Nov. 15, 2004. His service was not without controversy. Powell came under fire for his insistence that Iraq harbored weapons of mass destruction. The claim was used as justification for the U.S. to invade Iraq. After Powell stepped down, Condoleezza Rice became the first African-American woman to serve as secretary of state. Sept. 11 Terrorist Attacks (2001) The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in 2001 left nearly 3,000 people dead. Because those responsible for the attacks were from the Middle East, Arab Americans came under intense scrutiny in the U.S. and continue to be today. Arguments arose over whether Arabs in America should be racially profiled. Hate crimes against Middle Easterners rose markedly. Today, xenophobia against individuals from Muslim nations remains high. In the 2008 presidential campaign, a rumor spread that Barack Obama was Muslim to discredit him. Obama is, in fact, Christian, but just the insinuation that he was Muslim cast suspicion upon him. In November 2009, the Middle Eastern community braced itself for another backlash when Major Nidal Hasan killed 13 people and wounded dozens in a murderous rampage at the Ft. Hood military base. Hasan reportedly shouted Allahu Akbar! before the massacre. Angelina Jolie Puts International Adoption in the Spotlight (2002) Transracial adoption was nothing new when actress Angelina Jolie adopted son Maddox from Cambodia in March 2002. Actress Mia Farrow adopted children from various racial backgrounds decades before Jolie, as did singer-dancer Josephine Baker. But when the 26-year-old Jolie adopted her Cambodian son and went on to adopt a daughter from Ethiopia and another son from Vietnam, she actually influenced the public to follow suit. Adoptions of children in countries such as Ethiopia by Westerners went up. Later Madonna would make headlines for adopting two children from another African nationMalawi. International adoption has its critics, of course. Some argue that domestic adoption should be prioritized. Others fear that international adoptees will be forever disconnected from their native countries. Theres also the notion that international adoptees have become status symbols for Westerners much like designer handbags or shoes. Halle Berry and Denzel Washington Win Oscars (2002) At the 74th Academy Awards, Halle Berry and Denzel Washington made history by winning Oscars for Best Actress and Best Actor, respectively. While Sidney Poitier won a Best Actor Oscar for 1963s Lilies of the Field, no black woman had ever won a top acting honor from the Academy. Berry, who won for Monsters Ball, remarked during the ceremony, This moment is so much bigger than me. This moment is for Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne, Diahann Carroll . . . its for every nameless, faceless woman of color who now has a chance because this door tonight has been opened. While many were elated by the groundbreaking wins of Berry and Washington, some in the African-American community expressed dismay that the actors won Oscars for portraying less than admirable characters. Washington played a corrupt cop in â€Å"Training Day,† while Berry played an abusive mother who moves in with the white man who participated in her late husband’s execution. The film features a graphic sex scene between Berry and Billy Bob Thornton that also garnered criticism, including from actress Angela Bassett who said she turned down the part of Leticia (the character Berry plays) because she didn’t want to be a â€Å"prostitute on film.† Hurricane Katrina (2005) Hurricane Katrina touched down in southeastern Louisiana Aug. 29, 2005. One of the deadliest hurricanes in American history, Katrina took more than 1,800 lives. While residents with the means to leave the area evacuated before the hurricane hit, impoverished residents of New Orleans and surrounding areas had no choice but to stay put and rely on the government for assistance. Unfortunately, the Federal Emergency Management Agency was slow to take action, leaving the most vulnerable residents of the Gulf region with lack of water, housing, healthcare and other necessities. Many of those left behind were poor and black, and President George W. Bush and his administration were criticized for not taking swift action because impoverished African Americans were apparently not a priority to them. Rallies for Immigrants Take Place Nationwide (2006) Although the United States is a nation of immigrants, America remains divided over the surge of immigrants into the country in recent decades. Opponents of immigration, particularly illegal immigration, regard immigrants as a drain on the country’s resources. Many resent having to compete for work with immigrants willing to work for extremely low wages. Supporters of immigrants, however, cite the many contributions newcomers to America have made to the country. They argue that immigrants don’t tax the nation’s resources but, in fact, boost the economy through their hard work. In a show of support of immigrants to America, a reported 1.5 million people demonstrated from coast to coast on May 1, 2006. Immigrants and their advocates were told to stay home from school and work and not patronize businesses so that the nation could feel the impact of what life would be like without immigrants. Some businesses even had to shut down on May Day because their companies depend so heavily on immigrant labor. According to the Pew Hispanic Center in Washington D.C., about 7.2 million undocumented immigrants hold jobs in the United States, making up 4.9 percent of the overall labor force. About 24 percent of farm workers and 14 percent of construction workers are undocumented, the Pew Hispanic Center found. Each year on May 1, rallies continue to be held in support of immigrants, arguably making immigration the civil rights issue of the millennium. Barack Obama Wins Presidential Election (2008) Running on a platform of change, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama wins the 2008 presidential election to become the first person of African descent chosen to run the United States. A multiracial, multigenerational coalition of volunteers helped Obama win the campaign. Considering that African Americans were previously denied the right to vote, forcibly segregated from whites and enslaved in the United States, Obama’s successful presidential bid marked a turning point for the nation. Anti-racist activists take issue with the notion that Obama’s election means that we’re now living in a â€Å"post-racial† America, though. Gaps between blacks and whites remain in the education, employment and healthcare sectors, to name a few. Sonia Sotomayor Becomes First Hispanic Supreme Court Justice (2009) The election of Barack Obama as president of the United States paved the way for other people of color to break ground in politics. In May 2009, President Obama nominated Judge Sonia Sotomayor, raised by a single Puerto Rican mother in the Bronx, to the Supreme Court as a replacement for Justice David Souter. On Aug. 6, 2009, Sotomayor became the first Hispanic judge and the third woman to sit on the court. Her appointment to the court also marks the first time judges from two minority groupsAfrican American and Latinohave served on the court together. Disney Releases First Film With Black Princess (2009) â€Å"The Princess and the Frog† debuted nationwide Dec. 11. The film was Disney’s first with a black heroine. It opened to largely positive reviews and topped the box office its opening weekend, grossing approximately $25 million. Despite its relative success in theatersthere are reports the film hasn’t doesn’t as well as recent Disney features such as â€Å"Enchanted†controversy surrounded â€Å"The Princess and the Frog† before its release. Some members of the African American community objected to the fact that Princess Tiana’s love interest, Prince Naveen, wasn’t black; that Tiana remained a frog for much of the film rather than a black woman; and that the film portrayed Voodoo negatively. Other African Americans were simply overjoyed that someone who resembled them was joining the ranks of Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and the like for the first time in Disney’s 72-year history.